This story was edited at 12:30 pm on February 12 correcting the total proposed 2017 budget amount, and final Board of Education spending request, which included increases not reflected in the earlier report. The proposed budget amount for debt service was added on February 13.

Evidence of a leaner and more efficient government agency doing equal or more work at lower taxpayer expense might be viewed favorably by local political leaders.

But when that agency's structure could occasionally or eventually be called on to serve competing interests - or constituents - Selectman Herb Rosenthal found reason to question.

That palpable concern on the part of Selectman Rosenthal, provided the only brief but contentious interchange during the second of three recent Board of Selectmen's budget deliberations.

It occurred January 30 as selectmen considered the cost of

restructuring of the Planning agency and its Economic & Community Development - both coming under the management of Director of Planning George Benson.

Selectmen eventually agreed to unanimously support the Planning Department's line item - a fractional piece of next year's proposed $41,251,019 municipal budget, which also carries town debt service for capital borrowing on all town and school projects.

That proposed debt service cost in next year's spending plan is $9,125,474, a decline of almost $200,000 from the current year.

The $733,705 or 1.8 percent increase First Selectman Pat Llodra plans to present to the Board of Finance February 13, will be the subject of a public hearing Thursday, February 16, at 7:30 pm,  in the Municipal Center at Fairfield Hills.

The school district is also scheduled to present on February 13, requesting $75,120,605 - a 1.98 percent increase. Taxpayers at the public hearing are welcome to weigh in on any part, or all of the proposed $116,371,624 spending plan before the finance board members begin deliberations.

Upon finance board approval including any adjustments, the budget requests go to the council for final review and possible adjustment before appearing for consideration by voters at referendum the last Tuesday of April.

That April 25 budget ballot also marks the first opportunity for taxpayers to vote on the most costly 2017 Capital Improvement Plan bonding authorizations. That measure was enacted for the coming budget year in a sweeping 2016 Charter Revision, which eliminated the Town Meeting form of government for endorsing major capital borrowing initiatives and their related debt service.

Fixed Costs, Contracts

With little wiggle room, both Mrs Llodra and Superintendent of Schools Joseph V. Erardi, Jr telegraphed that proposed increases are mostly tied to fixed or contractual commitments, with little flexibility to add expense.

The addition or a full-time staffer in the Economic Development Department and the elevation of former grant writer and Fairfield Hills support administrator Christal Preszler to the position of Deputy Director of Economic & Community Development was one of the few evident add-ons across hundreds of pages of budget details and line items.

The increased $22,742 in the Economic and Community Development department line represents a nearly 30 percent bump.

At the same time, reduced costs in the Land Use line of $18,841, and elimination of a $2,394 grants support position offsets the overall increase under the Planning agency. The economic deputy director will be supported by a new, full-time administrative staffer who will cross-train on supporting grant work.

Because of personnel and responsibility restructuring under Mr Benson's purview, the net increase to the Planning Department's budget request is 0.2 percent.

Perceived Conflicts

When time came to approve his department's request January 30, Mr Rosenthal expressed concerns that Mr Benson - who was present for questions - had previously approached him to request the Land Use and Economic Development functions be formally separated.

That exchange, according to Mr Rosenthal, occurred when he was first selectman.

Mr Rosenthal said he was reticent to support the Planning budget under its recent restructuring saying it could put any planning director in a position where one part of their agency is engaged in a zoning enforcement or land use violation against the same interest being promoted by another agency under their management for its potential economic development benefit.

"I can't support planning management under economic development," Mr Rosenthal said at first, leading off discussion on the matter. "There are built-in conflicts between economic development and planning. Sometimes you have to support zoning regulations. You have an obligation - a lot of natural conflicts exist."

Mr Benson countered insisting the current configuration, which will be enhanced with two full-time economic development staffers for the first time in years, is working to accomplish "the same thing."

"Talk to the developers, they love it," Mr Benson told selectmen. "We're working together - to improve the town."

Question Of Experience

Turning to the question of experience, Mr Rosenthal pointed out that if economic development is import to the community, why take "a step down from a highly compensated development [professional]." He also affirmed that neither Mr Benson nor Ms Preszler is a credentialed, experienced, or dedicated economic development professional.

Selectman Will Rodgers said from his perspective, the changing landscape in the Planning Department was apparently working.

"There was criticism for years between Economic Development and Land Use - the right hand didn't know what left hand was doing," Mr Rodgers recalled, adding he heard there were "perceived cross purposes between both."

"I don't hear that anymore," he said noting a "dramatic change from where we were."

"Newtown is too small to have that criticism - I don't want to undo this," Mr Rodgers said. He reminded officials that Mr Benson always reserved the right to "bumping up a conflict upstairs," and handing off any major conflicts to selectmen to handle.

Planning For Months

Mrs  Llodra said officials had been having the conversation about reconfiguring the Planning department and its personnel deployment for four months.

"Does this meet our needs? Grant performance has been extraordinary," Mrs Llodra said. "I don't know if this is the right and final step, but we have to give it a try."

Mrs Llodra said she expects the new deputy director to "use every skill to advance on economic and community development."

"Her experience with project management and success in grants shows she can articulate their advantages to the community," Mrs Llodra said of Ms Preszler, adding however, "there's no promise this is a forever thing."

Speaking to Mr Rosenthal's points, Mr Benson said "I can't think of one instance where I felt conflicted working with a developer. I never wanted to go against zoning principles to get something done in town.

"It used to be the norm that land use was anti-development," Mr Benson said. "Those days are over here."

Other key department requests receiving selectmen approved increases in the 2017 budget proposal include:

*Public Safety, with a $362,447 or 3.6 percent increase

*Public Works, with a $247,498 or 2.5 percent increase

*Health & Welfare, with a $10,686 or 0.7 percent increase

*Recreation & Leisure, with a $93,192 or 2.5 percent increase

*Contingency, with a $61,298 or 44.2 percent increase

*Town Hall Board of managers, with a $23,343 or 19.5 percent increase

See more detailed budget information in the public hearing notice running in the February 10 

Newtown Bee print edition.